Fire-protective device



July 5, 1927.

A. J. LOEPS'INGER FIRE PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed 00L 4, 1

, INVENTOR l/erf [[aepahya BY fidmflw,

, alt KW ATTORNEYS Patented July 5, 1927.

uarrnrsrrss 'AJEJBERT J. LOEPSINGER, OF IEOVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND,ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL OIE EROVIDENCE, Rl-IODE ISLAND, A CORPORA- FIEEEXTZNGUISHER COMPANY, TION OF DELAWARE.

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FIRE-PROTECTIVE DEVICE;

Application filed ectober 4, 1924. Serial 110,741,753.

This invention relates to improvements in lire protective devices.-Ettore particularly it relates to devices for protecting a wall, suchas the outside wall oi? lmilding, from adjacent lire. It has alreadybeen proposed for such purposes to provide a row of sprinklers at thecornice which should dis charge water in thin sheets spreading over. andrunning down threatened walls; but to be in such )rotection withtheoroximit out danger requires so great an expenditure from the watersupply as is likely to the reserve of water too severelyh'l lence suchcurtainsliave not been frequently installed; but no wayhas been known toprovide satisfactorily for the desired protection, so far as I am aware.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for such protectionwith economy of'water; to deter the expenditure ot' water until actualneed lll'lSGS, to" permit the preiarator turnin on of water in the sst'emwhen the danger is imminentor may pos sibly arise, without actualdischarge and yet without danger of freezing when standing ready, and tothis end to set the nozzle, valve,

and waiting water in location'not exposed to danger of freezing, butprotected by the buildingyet with'the distribution occurring inshe'etiorm spread 03 e1 the-enterioror the endangered part'ol' the wall, as forex ample, over any window, and to select automatically, according toneed, the partswhich are to be protected. I y

To this end the invention employs a new type of automatic sprinklerandan arrange ment-thereot by which. its valve and nozzle are setinside, of the building, preferably with the nozzle retracted from thevalve,

"with a discharge tube extending thence outward through the wall ot thebuilding, as, for example, through the upper frame of the window sash,and n'owded-outside with a deflector which.distributes the issuing jetin sheet form over the window or other portion of wall below it. lhepart which projects through the wall is a relatively large tubethroughwhich the from the nozzle passes out as a free jet through air,unconlined.. It is subjected to exterior atmospheric conditions andprovided'with atrans verse partition or door which is normally closed.Exterior heat from-an adjacent lire may pass-by conduction through themetal outside of the deflector. may be a light plate hinged acrossthe'inner' of the deflector and tube tot-he strut of the sprinkler, andmay be augmented by such C heat as passes through the closed window.

The heat of each part of a Wall becomes considcrable before there isreal danger of ignition, or oi rracture or window glass from the heat;and any such temperature sends heatin by conduction in sufiicientquantity and temperature to cause an automatic heat responsive valve toopen and the jet to issue from within the building, while the windowremains closed and before the'glassis broken. This is aided and madecertain in the presout case by the heat gathering eli'ect or the Thesaid partition cally opposite bars which hold the parts rigidly togetheryet allow ample space for access to said strut andvalve; and a plug maybe provided for access .to the interior space behind the valve. Inordinary usage the pipes leading to theinozzles of a series of suchsprinklers may stand empty of water; but on the occurrence of a fire inthe neighborhood water may be admitted thereto by the opening ot a mainvalve by hand; whereupon all parts of the system are ready tor theautomatic starting of a water cur j tain in any section where it isneeded, when ever is needed, without the wastage which occurs from theanticipatory starting of such over the whole wall according to methodshitherto employed.

The invention may be embodied in various forms, one of which isillustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is intended that the patentshall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims, whateverfeatures of patentable novelty'exist in the invention disclosed. I V

lnthe accompanying drawings: Y s Figure l is a. medial longitudinalsection through a single sprinkler, tube and defiector; v

Figure 2 is a bottom View of the same, with part in section;

is a transverse section through Figure at is a view on a smaller scaleshowing a fragn'rent ot a building with the apparatus installed.

Referring to the drawings ll) represents the wall of a. building whichis to be protected, l1 an apartment therein with lloo 12 and window 13.The ap niratus ot the invention is contained in the lube ll a locationFor which is seen in lrigure l, while the tube itself is seen on a.lrgcr scale '1: the other figures. This tube is adapted l be insertedlron'i the outside through the wall of the building and may be ol ahsuitable length according to the ihlrlnn oi the wall. As illustrated, i!isarran to pass merely through the r h ol the window 13. 11c tubel=crrvvs it: The inner and ot ll 1 upon and is supported b :e internl... which is a part cit or cont-aim an autumn; 2c sprinkler, the otherpart ll). oj j which. us

is common with sprinklers, screws into a. system oil. water distributionpiping .11. The sprinkler has a nmzlc in oi suitable type to project ajet of water. ".lluwho of the sprinkler, and the means for luihliug thevalve closed until rclea'ised by heat may be oil any suitable type, theron.-- trni-.;ion illustrated being made on the principle oi? one thatwell hnowu in the market in which there is a llexihle diaphi s n illwith a central hole :lor p:

age ol the jet, and the valve a body fill sealed in said hole andnulintainml scaled by the s n-lug pressure of the diaphragm outwardagainst it, and through it against the l'usible nlrul which in turn issupported on a bridge consisting of a sharp edged. bar which, althoughit in the path of the jet. ull'ords but little resistance to it owing tothe keenness of its edge and curvature as seen at 12.

The fixture 15 has two parallel ring portions (1,, b, separated ill] alittle distance and connected by side bars 0 which constitute ties inopposing the pressure transnuttel through the strut. The provision (itside opening between the ring portions perlnits the valve and its strutill to lull out when released, thrrclirv leaving a clear way for thevoter to d m-barge as a jet through casing ll. Par g thus in a jet, thewater has no tendency to escape lhrounh these openings. 'lluxir presencelmwevcr, while the sprinkler is readv and waiting to be called intoaction, perlnil's tree circulation oi rooln atmosphere about the valve20 and its strut- Ell, so that the warmth and intimate contact of thisair with the outer face ol" the valve minimize the clli'ecl of cold fromout of doors, which might otherwise :lfrceze the water at the valve.:Ihi: its end next to the nozzle the ring o oi' this fitting compressesand holds the diaphriui ni 19. The ring Z: which is remote from ti t.nozzle holds the delivery tube Ll: Whirl: screwed upon it, and chimed byan out ma tose side llap 23 which hangs by gravity and could be held bya light spring if desired. 'lhis tlap constitutes a door whichordinarilv prevents circulation of air between the inside of thebuilding through the tube ll. llt is so light, however, that it isin'nnediatoly opened by the jet when the jet issues from the nozzle 18and does not substantially alloct the strength of that jet.

'lhe tip ll ol the tube lxl: is bent downward outside of the buildingand dellcets the jet, through an angle apprmiching 180 degrees, so thatit is thereby thrown back ward upon the exterior of the window oradjacent part of the building. The deflector may have any desired shape,either to produce a sputtering or a smooth lihn distribution of thewater according to the desired result.

For inspection, and to aid in setting the parts, a plug is placedreinovably in the side oi the chamber between the nozzle .18 and thevalve 20 oi the sprinkler.

In operation, any heat which is trans- .niitted from without, throughthe wall or through the tube 14; to the heat responsive strut ol' thesprinkler causes that to yield in the ordinary manner, after which waterissues from the nozzle 18 assuming that it has been previously turnedon, when danger becomes manifest; but it does not flow from any nozzlesexcept those where the heat is enough to require it, nor begin to ilowuntil the heat requires it, thus greatly conserving supply of water.

I claim as my invention:

1. A lire protective device for the exterior. oi a building comprisin ineo1nl.)ination, a nozzle with deflector tor its jet, adapted to be setwith said nozzle inside of and said deflector outside of the building,arranged to return the jet to -ard and spread it over the outside of thebuilding wall; and a heat responsive valve for the nozzle, the heatresponsive element of which is ananged within the building in positionto receive heat through the wall from a tire outside.

A lire protective device for the exterior of a building comprising, incombination, a nozzle with deflector for its jet, adapted to be set withsaid nozzle inside oland said detlector outside of the building, therebeing between the nozzle and deflector an opening through a wall 01 thebuilding and a passage through said opening for the said jet, saiddeflector being arranged to return the jet to vvard and spread it overthe outside oil. the bulding wall; and a yielding closure lor thepassage between the nozzle and the deflector, adapted to be opened bythe jet.

:3. A the protective device tor the exterior oi. a building comprisin incombination, a nozzle with deflector :ltor its jet, adapted to be setwith said nozzle inside 01"". and said reassess deflector outside: ofthe! building, arranged to return the jet. toward spread it over the;outside: of the building wall; and a tube extending through thereceiving the jet from the nozzle and surrounding and guiding it to thedeflector;

, LA fire protective device comprising a supply pipe with nozzle,. valvetherefor and heat responsive means controlling the valve, allcompletelyiwithiar a. building and: arranged: to discharge-a jet througha wall thereof; a. deflector outside. thebuilding adapted to spread thesaid jet over the outside of the wallrthe. whole; being located inposition to receive. heat froma. fire outside of the building andthereby to. be opened and to distribute its jets over the outside. ofsaid wallt 5. A fire protectivedevice for the exterior of a building,Comprising in combination, a nozzle, a tube adapted to pass throughv thewall of a building and arranged in line forthe jet from the nozzle topass through the tube, a deflector at the outer end of the Q tubeadapted to turn the jet toward the face of the wall and aself closingdoor within the tube, adapted to open outward, yielding with such slightpressure as to .let the jet pass substantially unimpeded.

6. A fireprotective device for a wall comprising, in combination, anozzle on one side of the wall, a tube surrounding and permitting freepassage of the jet therefrom, adaptedv to extend through the wall, and adeflector for the jet on the other side of the wall arranged to returnit to the wall; the said nozzle having a heat responsive valve adaptedto close the nozzle, there being a permanent opening for theescape ofthe valve from the course of the jet after the valve has yielded inresponse to heat.

'7. A fire protective device for a wall comprising, in combination, anozzle on one side of the wall, a tube surrounding and permitting freepassage of the jet therefrom, adapted to extend through the wall, and adeflector for the jet on the other side of the wall arranged to returnit to the wall; there being a valve, normally held closed by heatresponsive means, arranged at a' little distance from the nozzle in theline of its jet; the space between said nozzle and valve being fullyenclosed for holding water and having a removable section of wall.

8. A fire protective device for a wall comprising, in combination a tubeadapted, to pass through the wall and having on one side of the wall anozzle with a heat responsive valve and on the other side of the wall adeflector for the jet of the nozzle; there being a bridge across theinterior of the tube adapted'to support a strut for holding the valveclosed, and adapted to afford but little resistance to the jet when thestrut is removed.

9.. Afire protective: device. fora wall eo1n-- prising, in combination,a. tube. of heat. conducting material adapted to. extend through end adeflector for turning the; jet. from the nozzle back upon the wall; thesaid; tube affording a course for heat from a fire on the deflector sideof the wall to pass to; the heat responsive valve.

10.. A the protective device for await com.- prising, in combination,anozzle with a heat responsive valve and; tube leading: thence. throughthe wall; and a deflector for the jet at the further end of the tube ;1said tube and deflector being made of heat. con.- dueting material andhaving a relatively large area thereof, compared the heat responsivearea of the valve, exposed to heat from a fire on its side of the wallwhereby a considerable quantity of heat is received and transmitted bythe tube to the heat responsive valve. 7

11. A fire protective device for a wall having a passage through itcomprising, in combination, a nozzle with a heat responsive wall; thesaid valve, thermal element, and

closure of the passage through the wall being removable by the jet ofwater upon the yielding of said member in response to heat.

,12. A fire protective device for the 6Xt6' rior of a buildingcomprising, in combination, a nozzle adapted to be set within thebuilding, a valve and thermally responsive strut arranged within thebuilding and open to atmospheric conditions therein, and a tube passingthrough the building wall; and a deflector outside thereof fordistribution of the jet upon the wall of the building; the-wholecombination being arranged in three sections comprising respectively thenozzle, the valve and strut holding member, and the tube and deflectormember.

13. A fire protective device comprising the combination, with a nozzleadapted to pass a jet through the wall and a tube and de flector adaptedto guide the jet'throughand to the face of the wall, of a housingintervening between the nozzle and the tube,

screw threaded to the body having the nozzle, and containing a valvewith a heat rewithin the building, and a deflector outside the building;there being uh opening through a wail oi the building for the jet fromthe nozzle to reach the dei ieetor, and. the whole being so urrui'iged,adupied and located that the heart from a the outside can reach andrelease the said heart i.'e;--tponsire valve within.

15. A lire protertire device for the exte rior of a buildingronipris-dng, in COIillJiYlth tion with the well oi: the building, itnozzle with detieetor for its jet, set with suid nozzle inside of andsaid deiieetor outside of the building, arranged to return the jettoward and spread it over the outside oi the building well.

16, A the protective deriire tor the exterior of at building comprising,in munbinu tion with the wnii oi the building, it nozzle inside of thewall; a, straight tube extending through the will in the direction ofthe jet from the nozzle and large enough to :diord unimpeded passage forthe jet; and e deflector outeide of the well, at the end oi. the tubearranged and adapted to turn the jet toward the other side of the wall.

171A [ire proteetive device for a well comprising, inCOlillJil'ifliliOll with the well, :1 nozzle with deiieetor for its jet,set with said nozzle on one side of the wall and said detier-tor on theother side of the wail, urrunged to return the jet tmvzufd and spread itover said other side oi. the well.

Signed at Boston, Mueuuehusetts, this first day of October, 1921-.

ALBER'J. J. LOEPSII'NGER.

